Historical "treasure hunt" offered at Wild River State Park (July 15, 2008)

There’s a hidden treasure at Wild River State Park, but people won’t need Indiana Jones’ quick wits and flair for adventure to find it. They’ll just need a willingness to spend some time outdoors in a picturesque setting near the St. Croix River.

Wild River’s “History Cache 1″ is like the St. Paul Winter Carnival Medallion Hunt, but without the monetary reward and with a bit of local history and modern technology thrown in, said Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Park Naturalist Dave Crawford.

Participants can pick up a copy of the clue sheet at the park, or download it from the Web. The clues pose history-related questions that have to do with the park; each clue solved leads to another location in the park, and yet another clue. The final clue yields GPS coordinates that can be used to locate a hidden cache where players will be rewarded with a small medallion.

“Anyone who enjoyed the movies ‘National Treasure’ or ‘The DaVinci Code’ is likely to have a lot of fun with our History Cache,” Crawford said. “You won’t need the kind of in-depth historical knowledge the characters from those movies had, because exhibits in the park provide most of the information you need. But you can still count on a good challenge, and you’ll see a lot of the park in the process.”

Wild River also offers other geocaching hunts for GPS users. More information on those opportunities and the “History Cache” can be found at www.mndnr.gov.

Located along the St. Croix River on Minnesota Highway 95 between Taylors Falls and North Branch, Wild River State Park offers opportunities for camping, hiking, horseback riding, canoeing, interpretive programs and self-guided trails within its 6,803 acres.

Visitors who want modern amenities can reserve the guesthouse, which includes living room, dining room, kitchen, and fireplace. The park also has two camping cabins with bunk beds, a table, and benches. A visitor center with exhibits and environmental education programs is open year-round. A daily or annual state park permit is required for entrance.